The Council calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop an integrated approach to combat poverty and social exclusion by combining adequate income support, access to quality services and inclusive labour markets, while ensuring equal opportunities for women and men.

The European Commission has today launched a public consultation on how to improve work-life balance and reduce obstacles to women's participation in the labour market, thereby contributing to the employment headline target of the Europe 2020 Strategy.

Europe is ageing. More than 130 million people in the European Union, or about a quarter of the total population, receive a pension. By and large, the national pension systems make sure that older citizens receive a stable income after the end of their working life and are not threatened by poverty. In fact, the risk of being poor in the EU is lower among the elderly above age 65 as compared to the population below age 65.

A report commissioned by the European Commission from the European Social Policy Network of independent experts (ESPN) published today shows an inadequate response in the Member States regarding the reintegration of the long-term unemployed.

A report commissioned by the European Commission to the European Social Policy Network of independent experts published today shows that Member States have made progress in implementing reforms toward social investment but there still a lot to be done for the modernisation of the social protection systems across the European Union.

The European Commission welcomes today's adoption of the regulation on the new Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD). The Fund will give Member States valuable support in their efforts to help Europe's most vulnerable people, who have been worst affected by the on-going economic and social crisis.

Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland and European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion László Andor announced today plans to reinforce local authorities' efforts to overcome inequalities between Roma and non-Roma citizens in their municipalities.

A series of steps have been taken by the European Commission and EU Member States in the 12 months following the Commission's adoption of a comprehensive strategy for structural reforms in social policy to help Member States better protect and invest in people: the Social Investment Package (SIP).